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These are some of the best wrestlers in the world, but will they be in a WWE ring?
As 2018 draws to a close, fans can look back and ponder the wild year in the world of sports entertainment. From the controversial Crown Jewel show and Roman Reign's illness to Kenny Omega finally capturing the IWGP Heavyweight title from his rival Rainmaker Kazuchiki Okada to the Chris Jericho Rock n Wrestling Rager at Sea, it's been an incredible year for the business.
It seems like nearly every facet of pro wrestling either grew bigger or made some splash in the mainstream media. Longtime low budget indie promotion Ring of Honor stepped up their game and booked a big show for Madison Square Garden.
The WWE's attempts to block the show only gave more attention to the number three North American promotion. Impact wrestling decided to return to its roots and started delivering fantastic matches featuring huge stars like Brian Cage and Pentagon Jr.
And of course, Cody Rhodes and the Young Bucks proved that independent wrestling is not only alive and well, but it's also potentially going to upend the business with their production All In.
With all of the shenanigans in 2018, one can only ponder what the next year has in store for wrestling fans. One source of endless speculation is just who will, or will not, sign with the largest pro wrestling organization in the world; The WWE.
Here are ten wrestlers who might end up signing with the WWE next year.
#1.Hiroshi Tanahashi
Naito stated quite clearly that WWE made him an offer shortly after the Dominion event, but he was not interested and turned it down.
However, it has been revealed that two other stars were possibly approached by WWE as well. Looking at who's contract is coming up for renewal, there's an interesting name at the top of the list; Hiroshi Tanahashi.
For those of you unfamiliar with Tanahashi-san, he is in simple terms Japan's John Cena; A good looking muscular wrestler whom the ladies and children adore and who has a lot of crossover media appeal.
His road to stardom was ironically aided by an attempt on his life by a knife-wielding ex-girlfriend. As the saying goes, there's no such thing as bad press, and when Tanahashi recovered for his return match a sold-out arena was awaiting him.
Tanahashi has had ups and downs in his professional career as well. For a period of time he was considered lazy and sloppy in the ring, but since then he's mounted an impressive comeback. Much like Chris Jericho, he makes minor tweaks to his character--such as carrying around a plush toy cat--to stay fresh and relevant.
What he would bring to the table in WWE: Rockstar good looks, impressive size for a Japanese wrestler, and a work rate that would be right at home on NXT. Tanahashi is a veteran, international superstar who might be well suited to the glitz and glamour of the WWE.
#2. Cody
Due to the unprecedented success of All In, you might think Cody has little motivation to work for WWE again, but there are several things to consider.
Firstly, while All In was a big success, it was not something nearly as grand as a Wrestlemania. Wrestlers are performers, and while their craft is important to them there's no sensation quite like performing in front of a massive arena full of cheering fans.
Second, yes All In made Cody money, but not as much as you might expect. The Over Budget battle royal was an in-joke that even if the show were a success--which it obviously was--there would be a reduced profit on the part of Cody and the Young Bucks. Cody could still make more money working for WWE with the right contract.
Third, a lot of Cody's friends still wrestle for WWE. Despite his warm feelings toward the Elite, returning to WWE would be like a homecoming for him.
What he would bring to the table for WWE: Cody is not only one of the best technical wrestlers working today, he's parlayed his creativity and charisma to gain massive stardom. He could put that brain to work for WWE both inside and outside the ring.
#3. Brian Cage
Wrestling has seen its share of men with impressive physiques over the years. Superstar Billy Graham raised the bar when he displayed his chiseled torso, and ever since then there are many men who work diligently upon crafting an ideal musculature. Scott Steiner, Hulk Hogan, and Austin Aries all boast quite the physique.
However, all of them look like the 'before' picture in a gym ad when placed next to Brian Cage. Cage looks as if he tore himself off the walls of an ancient temple because he wanted to be among the mortals.
But Cage packs more than just muscle, capable of performing Lucha moves that smaller men couldn't manage. He actually did wrestle for WWE at one point when Florida Championship Wrestling was still their developmental league but was let go after a poor performance in a match. Cage recounts it in his own words:
"I had a groin injury and was put into this squash match that lasted about 3 minutes. During the match, I was supposed to get a spot where I was going to get a boot, but I couldn't race to the boot because my groin was torn and so he threw the boot like 12 feet away, and you were wondering what he was doing,"
Like many before him, Cage rededicated himself to his craft, albeit with some bitterness, and is now a champion in Impact wrestling. It's unclear as to how long his contract is, but Impact is famous for its shorter-term deals so it's quite possible he'd be free by the end of 2019 if WWE were still interested, which rumour says they are.
What he could bring to the table in WWE: Cage looks like a million bucks, a modern day Ultimate Warrior reborn. Just based on that he'd be a draw, but Cage can wrestle as well.
#4. WALTER
While not on as high a level as, say, Ring of Honor, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla is still one of the most celebrated indie promotions on the planet. PWG pushes wrestling action first and foremost but is a little more glitzy than the tonally serious Ring of Honor grapple fests.
The current PWG champion is WALTER, a man with a unique look and obvious size and power. However, his grace belies his bulk, and Walter can keep up with even cruiserweight wrestlers in the ring. His match against Zach Sabre Jr. is still being spoken of as the best five-star independent wrestling league match of all time.
While at one time, WALTER working for WWE seemed very unlikely--he has said repeatedly he prefers not to live in the United States--with NXT pushing into Europe, he may not have to. Walter had this to say about working for WWE in an interview:
“I don’t know if I mentioned this, but being a part of the RAW or SmackDown roster is nothing I am interested in. I don’t want to live in the US. I really like NXT though, I think it’s a great product, filled with the best talent in the world and is focused on competition in the ring, which is something I enjoy. I don’t want to say it will never happen because in wrestling things change so quick.”
WALTER in NXT Europe? It could happen by the end of next year.
#5. Ivelisse
The feisty Puerto Rican started her training at the age of fourteen. That's right when most girls are worried about high school drama or their next term paper, Ivelisse was learning to pound bodies into the mat.
Ivalisse was once signed to a developmental contract with WWE, having come through the Tough Enough program where she was eliminated due to an injury. Her comeback was slated to begin in FCW, which transitioned into NXT.
Ivelisse was released from her developmental contract, and the signs point toward it being for a rather shaky reason. Ivelisse reported Bill Demott for harassment, and the WWE thought at the time that she was an alarmist who would cause problems on the roster.
Of course, now we know that Demott has been fired for his unprofessional behaviour toward WWE's developmental wrestlers, such as EC3, who still holds a grudge against the former Hugh Morris. Most likely Ivelisse was in the right when she made her accusations.
Ivelisse has done quite well for herself in the time spent away from WWE. She has made herself into an international women's wrestling star all on her own.
What she could bring to the table in WWE: Ivelisse has appeal both north and south of the border and has all the tools she needs to be a force to be reckoned with in the women's division.
#6. Dragon Lee
The current Dragon Lee is a twenty-three-year-old son of a Lucha Libre legend. He has definitely been on the WWE's radar for several years now despite his relative youth and inexperience.
Though Lee's famous lineage may have helped open a few doors for him, he is respected in the wrestling world because he has been working hard from the bottom up. When not needed for CMLL, he takes bookings on the independent circuit and has done stints for Ring of Honor, where he faced defeat at the hands of the Elite's The Villain Marty Scurrl.
Due to CMLL's working agreement with New Japan Pro Wrestling, Dragon Lee has made appearances in the land of the rising sun. His quickness and heart make him a fan favourite everywhere he wrestles.
What he could bring to the WWE: Dragon Lee would be fantastic in NXT or on 205 Live, but could also work on the 'big brands' of Smackdown and Raw, filling the shoes left vacant by (until recently) Rey Mysterio.
#7. Jeff Cobb
Guam native Jeff Cobb had no idea that pro wrestling was different from amateur wrestling. he showed up at his first practice expecting to learn about headlocks and haymakers and wound up learning about single leg takedowns and ploughs instead.
Nevertheless, he discovered that he had an aptitude and love of the sport. He became a decorated amateur wrestler, so much so that he qualified for the Guam Olympic Wrestling team for the 2004 Olympics held in Athens.
Cobb switched from amateur to pro wrestling, cutting his teeth in the Hawaii territories as well as sporadic appearances in Northern California. He held the Premier championship for a lengthy reign and got on the radar of Lucha Underground. They masked him, made him the storyline brother of Dario Cueto. As the Monster, he won the Lucha Underground title in his first match, a title he would hold until Rey Misterio took it away, and ended his undefeated streak.
Cobb has most recently made appearances for both PWG and Ring of Honor. He also works dates for New Japan and was recently crowned ROH Tv champion...in his first match.
When asked about working for WWE, Cobb had this to say:
I never like to say never, but right now my goal and my focus is revolving around Ring of Honor, New Japan and PWG. That’s my focus and I try not to take too much focus away from it. I did sign a one-year contract [with ROH]. You never know what the future holds, but right now I’m very happy with where I’m at. I put all my effort into these three companies.
What he could bring to the table for WWE: Cobb brings to mind Michael Elgin and Samoa Joe, big men who can really move. In Cobb's case, his strong amateur background helps, as does his unique and powerful build.
#8. Adam Page
The road to stardom has seemed paved with gold for Adam Page.
He started his career in Ring of Honor--a true rarity--and held his own throughout his association with that promotion, and then some.
Adam paid his dues by playing the 'youngboy' stooge for the Decade faction, then comprised of BJ Whitmer and Jimmy Jacobs. Adam would wipe the ropes down, hold them open for the older Decade members, and attack anyone that his seniors told him to.
Page worked his way up to full membership of the Decade, but the group faltered and fell apart. But Page only went up, joining the illustrious Bullet Club, now known as the Elite. His long association with Ring of Honor--since 2011--means he has a great deal of experience in New Japan Pro Wrestling as well.
What he could bring to the table in WWE: Adam Page has a toughness and physicality that reminds us of Stone Cold Steve Austin. his technical skills are top notch, he can fly with the best of the cruiserweights, but he has heavyweight power. With all respect to Lex Luger, Page is the total package.
#9. The Young Bucks
Either you love them or, if you're Jim Cornette at least, you hate them, but you have to be impressed by the Young Bucks and their unprecedented success story.
Matt and Nick Jackson were perhaps always destined to change the wrestling industry. Their family put a wrestling ring in the backyard. Matt Jackson attended wrestling school, then came back and taught his sibling and their friends what he had learned.
They had their own wrestling promotion, High-Risk Wrestling, which actually operated with moderate success for over five years, and got the Bucks on the radar of promotions like the NWA.
The Bucks were signed by TNA and re-christened Generation Me by then creative director Eric Bischoff. Supposedly, the Bucks rubbed a lot of folks in the locker room the wrong way; since they had essentially brought themselves in the business, they never learned little subtle points of etiquette. One of their 'punishments' was to dance shirtless for Tara (WWE's Victoria) during her ring entrance. However, the Bucks actually respected Tara deeply and were big fans, so they went along eagerly with the 'punishment.'
The Bucks left TNA and rejoined the independent circuit, where they truly made themselves in the megastars they are today. They did so by taking control of their own brand and developing a unique fusion of Lucha Libre, Strong Style, and technical wrestling. Their patronage of the All In event just seals the fact that they are movers and shakers in the wrestling industry.
What they could bring to the table in WWE: The Young Bucks could revitalize the flagging WWE tag team division, and their creative and innovative skills would work well backstage as well.
#10. Kenny Omega
Pro Wrestling Illustrated's 2018 #1 pick on the top 500 wrestlers in the world, Kenny Omega is not greatly known outside of sports entertainment, but within the confines of pro wrestling, he is already a living legend.
Yet another success story of a North American wrestler working in Japan, Kenny follows in the footsteps of such legends as Stan "The Lariat" Hansen, Big Van Vader, and Dr Death Steve Williams. His immense popularity despite being both a heel wrestler and a 'gaijin', or Westerner, is a testament to his superbly polished skill and incredible athleticism.
In the states, Kenny Omega was told to keep his nerd like, Japanese anime fandom tendencies hidden, and portray either a 'cool' surfer character or a silent badass. However, he has won his fans over in Japan by putting a lot of his own goofy personality traits into his wrestling persona, like cosplaying and naming his moves after video game characters.
In 2017 there was huge speculation that Omega would sign with the WWE and make his debut at the Royal Rumble. John Cena stoked the fires by posting a pic of Omega on Twitter. However, Omega chose to re-sign with NJPW for another two years....a contract that comes to an end in early 2019, making fans hopeful he could make the leap this time.
What he brings to the table for WWE: Much like AJ Styles, Omega is a top tier wrestler who can have a great match with almost any opponent. Wrestling fans all over the world know his name, and he has already made friends in WWE with the New Day.
There you have it: Ten wrestlers who could sign with WWE before the end of 2019. Who would you like to see signed? Please comment and let us know, and thanks for reading.
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